Fuller v. Ringling
Fuller v. Ringling
Opinion of the Court
It is to be noted that the court did not set aside the verdict but granted defendant’s motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict therefor. Upon the disposition of the questions raised on this appeal the facts found by the verdict must be treated as verities. The first proposition urged by the defendant in support of the verdict is that the contract was an entire one; that the plaintiff, not having procured a sale of the “south end of Mirror Lake resorts,” was entitled to no compensation, and the defendant further argues that the fact that one of the parcels (and we must assume, from the price, the principal part of the property involved) was disposed of at terms satisfactory to the defendant, at a trade valuation of $15,000 in excess of that
Conceding in this case that the contract as made was entire, the question arises whether the defendant has so performed it as to entitle him to recover thereon. The defendant relies mainly upon the case of Bentley v. Edwards, 125 Minn. 179, 146 N. W. 347. There brokers had for sale 6,000 acres of land and were to receive for their compensation all of the selling price in excess of $10 an acre. They sold 2,568 acres at $13 an acre. The brokers brought suit to recover $3 per acre for the number of acres sold. The court denied the plaintiff’s right of recovery. It is quite apparent from this brief statement that the amount of the brokers’ commission was in that case entirely dependent upon the amount for which the entire tract sold, and, while ■ the owner accepted the purchaser for a part of the tract, that did not excuse the performance by the brokers as to the remaining part.
But it is not necessary to indulge in any refinements re
Whether we say the contract was modified by the conduct of the parties, or whether we say the defendant accepted the exchange arranged for her by the plaintiff and his associate as a full and complete performance of the contract, may be a matter of philosophical interest but not of very great practical importance. In either event she became liable on the contract.
Were it not for the fact that the plaintiff upon the trial offered to remit one half of his claim if a release were procured of any claim which Hood might have against him on account of their association, we should be of opinion that the judgment should be reversed, with directions to the trial court to enter judgment upon the verdict. In order that no injustice may be done, it is considered that the judgment should be reversed, and the cause remanded with directions to enter judgment for the plaintiff upon the verdict for the sum of $7,000 unless the defendant shall make it appear to the court that the plaintiff’s associate, Hood, has no claim against him and that the plaintiff is released therefrom, and, if this result cannot be attained by agreement of the parties, Hood should be made a party to the proceeding and the fact ascertained so as to conclude all parties in interest. If it shall be made to appear either by agreement or upon a hearing that the $4,000 paid to Hood was a discharge of any sums owing to him as well from plaintiff as defendant for services rendered, then the plaintiff should have judgment for $3,500.
By the Court. — It is so ordered.
• On April 7, 1925, a motion by the appellant to modify the mandate was denied, with $25 costs.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.